Overview
Animoto provides the ability to have a video automatically created by using uploaded photographs, graphics, or video clips set to a selected or uploaded music track. The terms of Animoto state they provide publicly accessible blogs and community forums where users should be aware that any information they provide in these areas may be read, collected, and used publicly by others who access them. The terms of Animoto state they may collect personal information such as first and last name, address, telephone number, mobile number, e-mail address, photograph, video or audio recording, or information about a user that is directly linked to personally identifiable information. However, the terms do state that Animoto may display interest-based advertisements to a user on the service unless they provide opt-out consent, in which case generic or traditional advertisements are still displayed. Animoto's terms state they will keep a user's personal information secure by using current industry standards. Animoto's terms also state the service is only intended for users over the age of 13. However, the education terms state that educators may allow children under 13 to use student accounts that the educator must set-up under their Animoto for Education account.
Animoto can be accessed through its website, and is available for download at the iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store. The Privacy Policy and Terms of Use accessed for this evaluation can be found on Animoto’s website, iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store. Additionally, other policies used for this evaluation include: Education Terms, Music Terms, and Upload Terms. This evaluation only considers policies that have been made publicly available prior to an individual using the application or service.
Safety
The terms of Animoto state they provide publicly accessible blogs and community forums where users should be aware that any information they provide in these areas may be read, collected, and used publicly by others who access them. The terms also provide a list of inappropriate content and behaviors that are not permitted on its website. However, Animoto's terms state they do not monitor or pre-screen submissions, but they retain the right to remove content and to terminate accounts for any reason. The terms state that teachers are required -- when supervising students -- to ensure the students will not publicly display, distribute, or otherwise share videos through social networking or other public web pages. The terms state users may notify Animoto of content that might not comply with the Terms of Service by filling out a feedback form.
Privacy
The terms of Animoto state they may collect personal information such as first and last name, address, telephone number, mobile number, e-mail address, photograph, video or audio recording, or information about a user that is directly linked to personally identifiable information. In addition, the terms state that Animoto will not sell, trade, or rent personally identifiable information to third parties. However, the terms do state that Animoto may display interest-based advertisements to a user on the service unless they provide opt-out consent, in which case generic or traditional advertisements are still displayed. Animoto's terms also state they may partner with a third-party service provider to gather information about a user's activities on the service and other websites, in order to present interest-based advertising to a user. The terms provide a comprehensive list of third parties used to support the service, and Animoto places contractual restrictions on third parties who collect users' data. In addition, Animoto's terms state they support social login and can gather information about a user from social login third-party service providers. Lastly, users will be notified via email if the policies undergo any material changes.
Security
Animoto's terms state they will keep a user's personal information secure by using current industry standards. In addition, Animoto's terms state they store data on Amazon servers and restrict access to personal information to only selected Animoto staff and contractors. However, the terms do not clearly indicate if the information collected is encrypted while in transit or while at rest. The terms state that prior to engaging any third-party service provider, Animoto will evaluate their privacy, security, and confidentiality practices. Lastly, the terms state that videos and other user-generated content on the service are obscured via complex URLs.
Compliance
Animoto's policies state the service is only intended for users over the age of 13. However, the education terms state that educators may allow children under 13 to use student accounts that the educator must set up under their Animoto for Education account. Students under 13 years of age using an Education account may create videos on the service only if created for a classroom setting under the educator's direct supervision at all times. In addition, the terms state an educator is required not to permit children to provide any personal information to the service. Animoto terms also provide that require schools are responsible for obtaining parental consent assuring that use of Animoto by students are in full compliance with all applicable privacy and educational laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA") and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA").
Overall Score
Every privacy rating includes an overall score. A higher score (up to 100%) means the product provides more transparent privacy policies with better practices to protect user data. The score is best used is as an indicator of how much additional work a person will need to do to make an informed decision about a product.
| Basic Score | Full Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Assessment | 71 | 61 |
Concerns
The privacy evaluation process summarizes the policies of an application or service into concern categories based on a subset of evaluation questions that can be used to quickly identify particular practices of a vendor’s policies. These concerns are composed of evaluation questions that can be used to calculate scores relative to that concern.
| Concern | Basic Score | Full Score |
|---|---|---|
| Data Collection: Protecting personal information | 75 | 40 |
| Data Sharing: Protecting data from third parties | 100 | 85 |
| Data Security: Protecting against unauthorized access | 67 | 65 |
| Data Rights: Controlling rights to data | 88 | 85 |
| Data Sold: Preventing sale of data | 75 | 55 |
| Data Safety: Promoting responsible use | 50 | 50 |
| Ads & Tracking: Prohibiting the exploitation of users' decision making process | 42 | 50 |
| Parental Consent: Protecting children’s personal information | 67 | 45 |
| School Purpose: Following student data privacy laws | 100 | 50 |
Statutes
Each statute or regulation is associated with one or more evaluation questions. As such, we can calculate scores for each statute or regulation using only those questions associated with the statute or regulation. Each specific statute or regulation's score serves as an indirect proxy indicating the likelihood of the application or service satisfying all of its compliance obligations.
| Statute | Basic Score | Full Score |
|---|---|---|
| California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) | 75 | 69 |
| Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) | 67 | 58 |
| Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | 89 | 56 |
| Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) | 73 | 63 |
| General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) | 79 | 72 |
Privacy Policy Details
1: Transparency
1.1: Policy Version
- Privacy policies do indicate a version or effective date.
- Privacy policies do not indicate a changelog or past policy version is available.
1.2: Policy Notice
- Users are notified if there are any material changes to the policies.
- Privacy policies indicate the method used to notify a user when policies are updated.
1.3: Policy Changes
- Users are notified prior to any material changes to the policies.
- Changes to the policies are effective immediately and continued use of the product indicates consent.
1.4: Policy Coverage
- Privacy policies indicate the products that are covered by the policies.
1.5: Policy Contact
- Users can contact the vendor about any privacy policy questions, complaints, or material changes to the policies.
1.6: Policy Principles
- Privacy policies do indicate any privacy principles, layered notices, or a table of contents.
1.7: Policy Language
- Privacy policies are not available in multiple languages.
1.8: Intended Use
- Not intended for children under 13.
- Not intended for teens.
- Intended for adults over 18.
- Unclear whether intended for parents or guardians.
- Intended for students.
- Intended for teachers.
2: Focused Collection
2.1: Data Collection
- Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected.
- The categories of collected personally identifiable information are indicated.
- Unclear whether this product collects geolocation data.
- Unclear whether this product collects biometric or health data.
- Unclear whether this product collects behavioral data.
- Unclear whether this product collects sensitive data.
- Non-personally identifiable information is collected.
- Unclear whether free or reduced lunch status is collected.
2.2: Data Source
- Personal information or education records are collected from preK-12 students.
- Personal information from children under 13 years of age is collected online.
2.3: Data Exclusion
- Specific types of personal information are not collected.
- Unclear whether specific types of collected information are excluded from the privacy policy.
2.4: Data Limitation
- Collection or use of data is limited to product requirements.
3: Data Sharing
3.1: Data Shared With Third Parties
- Collected information is shared with third parties.
- The categories of information shared with third parties are indicated.
3.2: Data Use by Third Parties
- The purpose for sharing a user's personal information with third parties is indicated.
- Data are shared for analytics.
- Unclear whether data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
- Unclear whether data are shared for third-party advertising and/or marketing.
3.3: Data Not Shared With Third Parties
- Specific categories of information are not shared with third parties.
3.4: Data Sold to Third Parties
- Data are not sold or rented to third parties.
3.5: Third-Party Data Acquisition
- Personal information from users is acquired from third parties.
3.6: Third-Party Links
- Links to third-party external websites are not age-appropriate.
3.7: Third-Party Data Access
- Unclear whether third parties are authorized to access a user's information.
3.8: Third-Party Data Collection
- Unclear whether personal information of users is collected by a third party.
3.9: Third-Party Data Misuse
- Unclear whether personal information can be deleted from a third party if found to be misused.
3.10: Third-Party Service Providers
- Data are shared with third-party service providers.
- The roles of third-party service providers are indicated.
3.11: Third-Party Affiliates
- The categories of third parties that receive personal information are indicated.
3.12: Third-Party Policies
- Links to privacy policies of third-party companies are not available.
3.13: Third-Party Data Combination
- Data can be combined with data from third-party sources.
- Unclear whether data shared with third parties can be combined by third parties for their own purposes.
3.14: Third-Party Authentication
- Social or federated login is supported.
- Personal information from social or federated login providers is collected.
- Personal Information is shared with social or federated login providers.
3.15: De-identified or Anonymized Data
- Unclear whether user information is shared in an anonymous or deidentified format.
- Unclear whether the vendor describes their deidentification process of user information.
3.16: Third-Party Contractual Obligations
- Contractual limits are placed on third-party data use.
- Unclear whether contractual limits prohibit third parties from reidentifying deidentified information.
4: Respect for Context
4.1: Data Use
- Use of information is limited to the purpose for which it was collected.
- The purpose for which data atr collected is indicated.
4.2: Data Combination
- Combined information is treated as personally identifiable information (PII).
4.3: Data Notice
- Notice is provided if the context in which data are collected changes.
4.4: Data Changes
- Unclear whether consent is obtained if the practices in which data are collected change.
4.5: Policy Enforcement
- Accounts may be terminated if users engage in any prohibited activities.
5: Individual Control
5.1: User Content
- Users can create or upload content.
5.2: User Consent
- Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
5.3: Remedy Process
- A grievance or remedy mechanism is available for users to file a complaint.
5.4: Data Settings
- Users can control their information through privacy settings.
5.5: Data Disclosure
- Users can opt out from the disclosure or sale of their data to a third party.
- Users can request to know what personal information has been shared with third parties for commercial purposes.
- Unclear whether notice is provided in the event the vendor receives a government or legal request for a user’s information.
5.6: Intellectual Property
- Users retain ownership of their data.
- A copyright license is claimed to data or content collected from a user.
- Any copyright license to a user's data is not limited in scope or duration.
- Notice is provided to users when their content is removed or disabled because of an alleged copyright violation.
6: Access and Accuracy
6.1: Data Access
- Processes to access and review user data are available.
- Permissions, roles, or access controls are available to restrict who has access to data.
- Processes to review data are available for the school, parents, or students.
6.2: Data Integrity
- The vendor does maintain the accuracy of data they collect.
6.3: Data Correction
- Processes to modify inaccurate data are available.
- Processes for the school, parents, or students to modify data are available.
- The time period for the vendor to modify inaccurate data is indicated.
6.4: Data Retention
- A data-retention policy is available.
- The retention time period of a user's data can be changed upon a valid inspection request.
6.5: Data Deletion
- Unclear whether this product deletes data when no longer necessary.
- A user's data are deleted upon account cancellation or termination.
- Processes to delete user data are available.
- Processes for the school, parents, or students to delete data are available.
- The time period for the vendor to delete data is indicated.
6.6: Data Portability
- Processes to download user data are available.
- Unclear whether a user can assign an authorized account manager or legacy contact.
7: Data Transfer
7.1: Data Handling
- User information can be transferred to a third party.
- Notice is provided to users if the vendor assigns its rights or delegates its duties to another company.
- Users are notified if their information is transferred to a third party.
7.2: Transfer Request
- User information can be deleted prior to its transfer to a third party.
7.3: Onward Contractual Obligations
- Third-party transfer is contractually required to use the same privacy practices.
8: Security
8.1: User Identity
- A user's identity is verified with additional personal information.
8.2: User Account
- Account creation is required.
- Parental controls or managed accounts are available.
- Unclear whether two-factor account protection is available.
8.3: Third-Party Security
- Third-party contractual security protections are required.
8.4: Data Confidentiality
- Industry best practices are used to protect data.
- Employee or physical access to user information is limited.
8.5: Data Transmission
- Unclear whether this product encrypts all data in transit.
8.6: Data Storage
- Unclear whether this product encrypts all data at rest.
- Personal information of users is not stored with a third party.
8.7: Data Breach
- Notice is provided in the event of a data breach.
8.8: Data Oversight
- Data-privacy and security-compliance audits are performed.
9: Responsible Use
9.1: Social Interactions
- Users can interact with trusted users and/or students.
- Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
- Profile information is not shared for social interactions.
9.2: Data Visibility
- Personal information is displayed publicly.
- Users can control how their data are displayed.
9.3: Monitor and Review
- User-created content is not reviewed, screened, or monitored by the vendor.
- User-created content is not filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.
- Unclear whether social interactions between users are moderated.
- Unclear whether social interactions of users are logged.
9.4: Report Content
- Unclear whether users can filter or block inappropriate content.
- Unclear whether users can report abuse or cyberbullying.
9.5: Internet Safety
- Unclear whether the vendor provides links to tools or processes that support safe and appropriate social interactions.
10: Advertising
10.1: Vendor Communications
- A user can receive service- or administrative-related communications from the vendor.
10.2: Traditional Advertising
- Traditional or contextual advertisements are displayed.
10.3: Behavioral Advertising
- Behavioral or targeted advertising is displayed.
10.4: Ad Tracking
- Data are collected by third-party advertising or tracking services.
- Data are used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
- Data profiles are created and used for data enhancement, and/or targeted advertisements.
10.5: Filtered Advertising
- Unclear whether children may receive inappropriate advertisements.
10.6: Marketing Communications
- The vendor can send marketing messages.
- Unclear whether this vendor provides promotional sweepstakes, contests, or surveys.
10.7: Unsubscribe
- Users can opt out of traditional, contextual, or behavioral advertising.
- Users can opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
10.8: Do Not Track
- Unclear whether this product responds to Do Not Track or other opt-out mechanisms.
- Unclear whether the vendor provides a method for users to opt-out from third-party tracking.
11: Compliance
11.1: Children Under 13
- Vendor does not have actual knowledge that personal information from users under 13 years of age is collected.
- Children's privacy is applicable.
- Unclear whether this product restricts account creation for users under 13 years of age.
- Unclear whether this product restricts in-app purchases for users under 13 years of age.
- Unclear whether the vendor participates in an FTC-approved COPPA safe harbor program.
11.2: Students in K–12
- Product is primarily used by, designed for, and marketed toward students in grades preK–12.
- Product does create education records.
- Unclear whether this product provides notification of a contract or additional rights.
- Unclear whether this product designates the vendor as a school official.
11.3: Parental Consent
- Parental consent is required.
- Unclear whether this product limits parental consent with respect to third parties.
- Unclear whether this product allows parents to withdraw consent for the further collection of their child's information.
- Unclear whether this product deletes children's personal information if collected without parental consent.
- Unclear whether this product provides parental consent notice and method for submission.
- Unclear whether the vendor can use collected information to support the “internal operations” of the product.
- Unclear whether this product indicates COPPA parental consent exceptions.
- Unclear whether the vendor indicates FERPA parental consent exceptions.
- Unclear whether this product discloses directory information.
- Parental consent obligations are transferred to the school or district.
11.4: Legal Requirements
- The legal jurisdiction that applies to the laws governing any dispute is indicated.
- A user is required to waive the right to a jury trial, or settle any disputes by arbitration.
- A user is required to waive the right to join a class action lawsuit.
- A vendor will disclose personal information to law enforcement.
11.5: Certification
- Unclear whether the vendor has signed a privacy pledge or received a privacy certification.
11.6: International Laws
- A user's data are subject to International data transfer or jurisdiction laws, such as the GDPR.
- The vendor has indicated it is a Data Controller or Data Processor.